The plan calls for virtually every local government agency-including the police department, libraries, parks department, public works, public housing and the school district-to focus resources on the 100 most violent blocks in the city.

The rationale is that most of the city's crime is somehow linked to those areas. If those neighborhoods can improve, then crime throughout the city will fall.

The plan will not cost the city much money because it mostly consists of reassigning existing services. But it has been slow to start. Quan first described the plan on October 15th.

The plan sounds like a combination of "hot spot" enforcement and crime prevention. Hot spots is a theory wherein the police focus their resources on specific areas-determined by crime mapping-that are prone to violence.

The crime prevention efforts--job fairs, day camps and school based projects--are focused on young people. The mayor's office has not elaborated on the research relied upon to establish the 100 Blocks. Are these efforts evidence-based or is this more public relations than proven crime interdiction?

In these lean economic times it is neither wise nor prudent to throw money at unproven anticrime efforts.

About Matt

An analysis of crime and punishment from the perspective of a former prosecutor and current criminal justice practitioner.
The views expressed on this blog are solely those of the author and do not reflect the opinions or postions of any county, state or federal agency.